No fewer than 30 or 31 governors, 88 senators, 242 members of the House of Representatives and President Bola Tinubu’s sole challenger, Osifo Stanley, and 2,620 others will know today whether or not they will contest the 2027 elections on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), as the party publishes the names of cleared aspirants in line with the timelines of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the polls.
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Vanguard gathered that the party screened no fewer than 2,980 aspirants for one presidential slot, 28 governorship, 109 Senate, 360 House of Representatives, and 991 state assembly positions between May 8 and 12, 2026.
The screening panel granted President Tinubu a waiver.
Major Names Under The Microscope
Among those screened are a host of serving and former governors, lawmakers and technocrats, who purchased and submitted expression of interest and nomination forms.
Among those whose fate hangs on today’s publication is Osifo Stanley, the only aspirant challenging President Tinubu for the presidential ticket.
Also among those screened is Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, who holds multiple positions as Imo State Governor, Chairman of the Progressives Governors Forum, and Chairman of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors leading President Tinubu’s re-election push.
Vanguard gathered that the APC hierarchy is under pressure to prevail on Uzodimma to drop his senatorial ambition, which they said would create crisis in the polity — because if Uzodimma runs for the Imo West senatorial seat and wins, he would hold two positions at the same time, as his governorship will lapse in January 2028.
Other prominent names whose fate will be known today include House of Representatives Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, who is gunning for the Abia State governorship and recently fought against a petition accusing him of attending the Law School and doing the one-year national youth service at the same time; Ogun East Senator and former Governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel; former Governor of Gombe State, Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo; serving Gombe State Governor, Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya, who is challenging his predecessor Dankwambo for a senatorial seat; and Ogun State Deputy Governor, Noimot Salako-Oyedele, who faces two formidable opponents in former Senator Gbolahan Dada and ex-Works Commissioner, Olayiwola Taiwo, for the APC ticket in Ogun West senatorial district.
APC National Chairman Reads The Riot Act
With most of the aspirants insisting on direct primaries, kicking against consensus, and threatening fire and brimstone if candidates were imposed, the National Chairman of the party, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, on Monday read the riot act to unruly aspirants, warning that the forthcoming primaries must be conducted peacefully or sanctions will follow.
In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Information Strategy, Abimbola Tooki, Yilwatda said: “The leadership of the party will not tolerate any act capable of disrupting the smooth conduct of the primaries.”
He noted that any aspirant or supporter found instigating violence, sponsoring unrest, engaging in anti-party activities, or attempting to undermine the integrity of the process will face severe disciplinary measures, including immediate suspension from the party.
“I Have Reached The Point Of No Return” — Gbenga Daniel Vows To Beat Abiodun
Meanwhile, Otunba Gbenga Daniel on Tuesday declared that he is fully prepared to contest the primary, expressing confidence that he will emerge victorious in a free and fair contest against Governor Dapo Abiodun for the Ogun East senatorial seat.
Daniel, who spoke during the BAT/OGD Movement Mid-Term Assessment Tour and Empowerment Programme of Ijebu-Ode Local Government, which took place in Ijebu-Ode, said no aspirant within the party could match his popularity and grassroots support across Ogun East.
The former Governor maintained that the decision on who will fly the party’s flag ultimately rested with APC members at the ward level, urging party faithful not to succumb to intimidation or political pressure during the primary election.
“I have reached the point of no return in this contest. On the day of the primary election, every APC member should go to his or her ward with their membership card and vote for the candidate of their choice,” Daniel said.
“In a free and fair primary, I will not only win, I will win overwhelmingly. The people know those who are working for them and those who truly have their interests at heart.”
Daniel alleged that some forces within the APC were planning to intimidate members and suppress voter turnout during the party primary, warning supporters against being discouraged.
“I have heard that people may be scared from coming out to vote, but they should not be intimidated. This is a democratic process and everyone has the right to participate freely,” he said.
He insisted that only party members have the constitutional right to determine the party’s candidate through the primary process.
Ogun East APC Endorses Abiodun, Daniel’s Camp Kicks
However, leaders, delegates and stakeholders of the APC in Ogun East senatorial district on Tuesday presented Governor Dapo Abiodun as the consensus candidate of the zone for the senatorial election.
The endorsement, described by party leaders as a collective decision aimed at sustaining unity and ensuring quality representation for Ogun East at the National Assembly, took place in the presence of prominent APC chieftains and stakeholders across the district.
Among dignitaries at the event were the party’s consensus governorship candidate in Ogun State, Senator Olamilekan Adeola; former deputy governors Yetunde Onanuga, Segun Adesegun and Gbenga Kaka; Ogun State APC Chairman, Chief Yemi Sanusi; Deputy Chairman, Chief James Dina; Chairman of Ogun East Senatorial District, Senator Lekan Mustapha; and APC Chairman in Ogun East Zone, Dr. Adeleke Ogundoyin.
Presenting Governor Abiodun to party leaders and stakeholders, a former Deputy Governor, Mr. Segun Adesegun, said members of the party across the district had unanimously adopted the Governor as the APC consensus candidate for Ogun East senatorial district.
“The entire Ogun East APC family has resolved to present Governor Dapo Abiodun as our consensus candidate for the 2027 senatorial election. This decision reflects the collective will of leaders and members of the party across the district,” Adesegun said.
Responding, Governor Abiodun expressed appreciation to leaders, stakeholders and delegates of Ogun East for the confidence reposed in him, describing the consensus arrangement as a demonstration of political maturity, unity and commitment to the progress of the district and the state.
“I am deeply humbled by this overwhelming support and confidence reposed in me by leaders and members of our party in Ogun East. This consensus arrangement underscores our collective resolve to strengthen the unity of the APC and advance the development of Ogun State,” the Governor said.
The endorsement, however, sparked sharp reactions within the party, as media aide to former Governor Gbenga Daniel, Steve Oliyide, dismissed the move as “coercion and desperation.”
“How many times did we endorse Senator Yayi as the governorship candidate of the party? This is the third time I am reading stories of endorsement for the Ogun East senatorial race. It is becoming too much of an endorsement and more of coercion and desperation,” Oliyide said.
Petitions, Protests, Legal Threats And Accusations Of Imposition Across States
Petitions, protests, legal threats and accusations of imposition have trailed the ongoing screening of aspirants by the ruling APC across several states ahead of the 2027 general elections, exposing widening cracks within the party over the use of consensus arrangements and the disqualification of aspirants.
Investigations by The PUNCH revealed that aggrieved aspirants in states including Taraba, Kano, Jigawa, Anambra, Benue, Kogi, Kaduna, Ebonyi, Rivers, and Plateau are mobilising petitions and possible legal challenges over the outcome of the party’s screening exercises.
Taraba — Senator Lau Endorsement Rejected
In Taraba State, the endorsement of incumbent lawmakers, reportedly backed by party stakeholders after the screening exercise, sparked fierce backlash, particularly in Taraba North Senatorial District, where youth groups and stakeholders openly rejected the endorsement of Senator Shuaibu Isa Lau.
A stakeholder from Karim Lamido Local Government Area, Paul Penuel, described the senator’s tenure as “a complete failure,” insisting that there was “no record of impactful projects, no policy footprint, and nothing measurable” to justify another term.
Another constituent, Dickson Kwinde, warned that repeating what he called a “costly political mistake” could alienate voters. “A mistake like this must never be repeated. The people of Taraba North cannot continue to be taken for granted,” he said.
The Coalition of Concerned Youths and Voice of the Proletariat in Karim Lamido also rejected the senator’s endorsement. “We categorically state that we do not support Senator Shuaibu Isa Lau for any position. As far as we are concerned, he has nothing to show for his years in office and does not deserve another mandate,” the group stated through its convener, Godwin Karim.
Kano — 20 Aspirants Screened Out, Six Step Down For Shekarau
In Kano State, no fewer than 20 aspirants seeking Senate, House of Representatives and State Assembly tickets were screened out despite earlier consensus arrangements.
Among those affected were former Head of Service, Usman Bala; former lawmaker, Sha’aban Sharada; Muhammad Zango; Danyaro Yakasai; Abbas Abbas; Shehu Driver and A.A. Zaura in the Kano Central Senatorial contest.
However, the state APC Publicity Secretary, Auwal Soja, confirmed that six aspirants in Kano Central eventually stepped down for former Governor Ibrahim Shekarau following a high-level reconciliation meeting. “The six aspirants stepped down for Shekarau in the interest of unity and peace in Kano State,” he said.
Despite the arrangement, protests continued to trail the process. A group operating under the Coalition for Better Kano faulted the endorsement of Shekarau, arguing that loyalty and consistency should not be sacrificed for political expediency. “The principles of political justice demand that loyalty must be rewarded. To bypass a foot soldier that stood firm for the party in favour of a newcomer, no matter how prominent, would send the wrong message,” the group said.
Efforts by Governor Abba Yusuf to reconcile aggrieved aspirants reportedly suffered setbacks after some stakeholders boycotted the reconciliation meeting convened to calm tensions.
Jigawa — Resignation And Defection
In Jigawa State, the fallout from the screening exercise resulted in resignation and defection. Former Speaker of the Jigawa State House of Assembly, Isah Idris, resigned from the APC after he was disqualified and replaced by another aspirant.
In his resignation letter, Idris lamented what he described as the party’s departure from its founding principles: “As a founding member and former Speaker, I had hoped that the APC would remain true to the principles on which it was established. However, I now believe it is time for me to move on.”
The former Speaker subsequently defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Another former Speaker, Idris Garba, and serving lawmaker, Abubakar Sadiq, were also edged out during the exercise, heightening fears of deeper cracks within the state chapter. “You cannot push out key mobilisers and expect them to work for the same people that sidelined them,” a party insider warned.
Benue — 40 Aspirants Disqualified
In Benue State, about 40 aspirants were reportedly disqualified during the screening of House of Assembly hopefuls conducted in Makurdi. The disqualifications have already generated discontent among supporters who accused the party of violating zoning arrangements and excluding certain blocs from representation.
A supporter of one of the affected aspirants, who identified himself simply as Amos, warned: “It is our turn in Gboko to produce the state Assembly member because stakeholders had micro-zoned it to our area. People contributed money for the aspirant to purchase forms. If this is not corrected, it will be to the detriment of the party during the election.”
Kogi — “Commando Arrangement” Allegations
In Kogi State, protests and accusations of authoritarianism followed allegations that nomination forms were selectively distributed to preferred aspirants under what critics described as a “Commando arrangement.”
A party chieftain, Chief Femi Olugbemi, accused the state leadership of abandoning democratic principles. “Democracy within the APC in Kogi has been reduced to directives from above,” he alleged. He added: “Forms that should be open to all qualified members are being shared selectively, and many of us with strong followings have been locked out.”
Anambra — 30 Members Expelled For Going To Court
In Anambra State, the APC expelled 30 members, including aspirants for Senate and House of Representatives seats, for instituting legal actions against the party.
The state Publicity Secretary, Valentine Iyiegbu, said the decision was taken in line with the party constitution. “No fewer than 30 members of the APC in the state have been expelled following their litigations against the party,” he stated.
According to him, the only reprieve available to the expelled members would be the withdrawal of their court cases: “It is only when the matters are withdrawn from the court that the party can consider listening to them.”
Kaduna — Shehu Sani Consensus Rejected
In Kaduna State, although the House of Assembly screening reportedly ended without disqualification due to consensus arrangements brokered by party leaders, controversy erupted over moves to impose consensus candidates for National Assembly positions.
The crisis is particularly intense in Kaduna Central Senatorial District, where former lawmaker and activist, Shehu Sani, is reportedly being favoured as a consensus candidate. The arrangement has been rejected by former Speaker Yusuf Zailani and activist Yarima Shettima.
“We strongly reject the so-called consensus arrangement in its entirety. Kaduna Central cannot be sacrificed on the altar of political manipulation and backroom deals,” Shettima declared.
Zailani’s camp also warned against imposing candidates on party members. “Politics belongs to the people, not to one person alone. Just because someone is endorsed does not mean he has already won the election,” his Campaign Director, Musa Aliyu Khalid, stated.
Ebonyi — Umahi Ally Resigns In Protest
In Ebonyi State, disqualified candidates expressed dissatisfaction with the process. An aspirant for the Ebonyi Central Senatorial District seat, Chief Christian Nwali, resigned in protest from the APC.
Nwali, an ally of the Minister of Works, David Umahi, was among the aspirants who lost out in the consensus arrangement adopted by the Ebonyi APC.
In a letter addressed to the state APC Chairman, Ekpelu Ward in Ikwo LGA, he stated that his resignation was “with immediate effect.” “This serves as an official notice of my formal withdrawal from party activities and responsibilities,” the letter read in part.
Rivers — 65 Aspirants Disqualified, 33 Cleared
In Rivers State, no fewer than 65 aspirants were disqualified by the Rivers State House of Assembly Screening Appeal Committee of the APC, while 33 aspirants were cleared during last weekend’s screening ahead of the party’s primaries.
Chairman of the panel and human rights lawyer, Dr. Abdul Mahmud, disclosed this at a news briefing at the APC Secretariat in Port Harcourt on Tuesday.
Mahmud, who said he is not a member of the APC but a private legal practitioner, disclosed that the leadership of the party chose him to head the screening appeal in the state because of the confidence reposed in him.
He said his appeal panel had received 19 petitions from aspirants and would continue sitting till Wednesday, 13th May.
“We salute the appellants. They were already here when we came. It has been peaceful since we started. What we are doing is just straightforward. It is not a penalty shootout,” he said.
“Appellants have written to the chairman of the party, who has forwarded their petitions to us to consider. Some portions were received last night. The bulk of it was received this morning as soon as we came in.”
Mahmud said the bulk of the complaints heard in oral presentations were that the non-clearance decisions were not communicated to the affected aspirants. “All of them pointed to the fact that they read their non-clearance on Facebook. Perhaps next time the party must learn from this experience,” he said.
He advised the party: “When you clear and don’t clear aspirants, the people have telephone numbers. They should be able to send them text messages or WhatsApp messages that you have not been cleared for this reason.”
On the petitions, he said: “We have treated nine so far. Those cleared are 33, cleared by different committees, and 65 were not cleared. The report we have has a list of 98 aspirants. We have received 16 appeals so far. We have treated nine. The time of my limit ends on the 13th of May 2026. I will be here till 5 pm tomorrow.”
Plateau — Anxiety Over Unreleased Results
The APC in Plateau State is preparing for possible fallout from the screening of House of Assembly aspirants, following reports that several contenders were screened out ahead of the official release of results.
When contacted, the Plateau APC Chairman, Rufus Bature, declined to disclose the number of aspirants allegedly disqualified or comment on the mood within the party.
“What I can tell you for now is that we have screened all the aspirants, but the result of the screening committee is not yet out,” Bature said. “We are still waiting for them to release the results. So, nobody will tell anything further until the result is made public. And sure, very soon, the committee will do that.”
Some aspirants told The PUNCH that they had been verbally informed of their disqualification without receiving any formal communication from the party, with a number of them accusing the screening panels of irregularities and lack of transparency.
“The concern is that some of these aspirants have strong local structures and political influence. If they feel unfairly treated, it could create fresh tensions within the party,” a source familiar with the process said.
Imo — 106 House Of Assembly Aspirants Screened
The Imo State chapter of the APC said the list of cleared House of Assembly aspirants would be released on Wednesday (today). The state APC Publicity Secretary, Dr. Jones Onwuasoanya, disclosed this on Tuesday, explaining that the screening committee, chaired by Chief Judith Enanutor, screened a total of 106 aspirants at the party secretariat.
He denied knowledge of any disqualified aspirants, insisting that only the official publication would determine the final status of contestants. “The list of qualified aspirants will be published. As of now, there is no list of qualified or disqualified aspirants. May 13 is the scheduled date for publication of names of qualified aspirants,” Onwuasoanya stated. “The correct number of House of Assembly aspirants is 106.”
Abia — Direct Primaries If Consensus Fails
In Abia State, the screening of House of Assembly aspirants commenced on Monday and was still ongoing as of Tuesday evening. The state Publicity Secretary of the APC, Uche Aguoru, said the process would be concluded on Tuesday, while acknowledging that disagreements may follow the release of the final list.
“Earlier, the party insisted that there would be no adoption or consensus aspirant unless parties to the position agree. In the event of disagreement even by one person, the constitutional provision of direct primaries will be used,” Aguoru stated.
Gombe — Screening Ongoing
In Gombe State, the APC also confirmed that the screening of House of Assembly aspirants was still ongoing at the APC Square in Gombe metropolis, attracting aspirants from the state’s 24 constituencies.
Party official Moses Kyari said: “We are yet to conclude the process. I will personally confirm the number of those screened and disqualified, if there are any, tomorrow (Wednesday) when we complete it.”
Zamfara — 114 Forms For 22 Seats
The Zamfara state screening committee for the House of Assembly has sold 114 forms for the state assembly, which has just 22 seats. Addressing journalists after the screening exercise, the state APC spokesperson, Alhaji Ibrahim Magaji, explained that only 105 out of 114 candidates who filled the forms have shown up for screening.
“The screening commenced yesterday, Monday and will end on Wednesday. Those who are yet to show up can still come here from now to Wednesday this week, and if at the end of the exercise, they do not come, it means they are disqualified,” he said.
An APC stalwart in the state, Dr. Sani Shinkafi, said there would be a primary election if the consensus arrangement fails.
Reconciliation Efforts Ongoing
Amid the growing tensions, reconciliation efforts are ongoing in several states as party leaders move to prevent possible defections and anti-party activities.
While some states, such as Sokoto and Kebbi, recorded relatively calm exercises under consensus arrangements, political analysts warned that the wave of grievances emerging from many APC chapters could threaten party cohesion if not properly managed before the primaries.
According to analysts, the increasing resort to consensus candidacies, screening controversies and disqualifications has exposed the difficult balance between party control and internal democracy within the ruling party ahead of the 2027 elections.
Today’s Publication — A Defining Moment
With the publication of the names of cleared aspirants scheduled for today, today’s announcement will define the field of contenders for the APC ticket in the 2027 general elections — from the presidential slot through the 28 governorship positions, 109 Senate seats, 360 House of Representatives constituencies, and 991 state assembly constituencies covered by the screening exercise.
For Osifo Stanley, today’s publication will determine whether his lone challenge to President Tinubu for the APC presidential ticket survives the screening. For Hope Uzodimma, it will signal whether the pressure to drop his senatorial bid has translated into a screening outcome. For Gbenga Daniel, Benjamin Kalu, Ibrahim Dankwambo, Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya, Noimot Salako-Oyedele and the thousands of others who submitted to the screening, today’s announcement will either open the door to the primaries or force a return to the appeal panels and, in some cases, the courts.
The countdown to the APC primaries and to the 2027 general elections has now formally begun.
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